Traffic calming bid to put brakes on speeders

New traffic calming measures are to be introduced in a Ribble Valley village in a bid to slow down drivers ignoring the speed limit.

Coun. Ged Mirfin, who represents Billington, Brockhall and Old Langho, along with county coun. Alan Schofield are calling for Speed Indicator Devices to be installed between Painter Wood and York Village in a bid to crackdown on motorists using the route as a “rat run”.

The move comes after concerns expressed by a number of local residents about speeding traffic on Whalley Old Road.

Coun. Mirfin commented: “The fundamental problem is that the speed limit on the unlisted stretch of road between Painter Wood and York Village is 60 miles per hour, once one leaves or enters the village environs.

“Within the two villages it is 30 miles per hour but 60 miles per hour is dangerous on a stretch of road which is little more than a track which, in places, is incredibly narrow which presents a serious threat to pedestrians and there are a large number who regularly walk their dogs.”

County Coun. Schofield added: “Residents are quite rightly calling for the speed limit between the two villages to be reduced from 60 to 40 miles per hour.

“In the first instance I will be recommending the installation of at either end of this stretch of road to capture data on how many vehicles are speeding and how fast they are travelling when they are entering and exiting the villages.

“This data will be presented to my colleague, County Coun. Keith Iddon, to decide further action.”

Coun. Mirfin concluded: “Whalley Old Road is in a woeful state. I hope we can do something about this extremely dilapidated road.

“Otherwise nearby residents face the double danger of speeding motorists and excessive wear and tear to their vehicles.”